Pele Burps up a Passport, Solar Panels Almost!

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

6/8/24

 

Aloha All --

 

Another eventful week here!  No tornadoes or heat domes, however.  Sure hope your mainland weather settles down.

 

On Monday two significant events occurred,  First, Pele spit up a little lava.  The eruption only lasted a few hours and was in an area to the south of the main caldera, so few people were able to see it.  The last eruption in this area was in 1974 and was also very short, which turns out to be characteristic of the region.  The explanation is that nearby Mauna Loa pinches off the lava supply channels whereas the supply is less obstructed in other areas.  Anyway, if you saw any video or photos of the eruption they were from a quick helicopter overflight by the volcanologists. They also deployed a web cam but all it has been showing is some smoke.  While the eruption was occurring the SO2 emissions hit 15k tons per day, but quickly backed off to their current 2k tons.  This was enough, however, to give us some vog for a few days -- a reminder of the more normal state of affairs. The official word is now that this is over and done, unlikely to resume at that same location.  However, signs of magma movement are still present, so another burp may soon occur elsewhere.  

 

A second significant event on Monday was the arrival in the mail of Karen;s passport!  Wow, that was impressively fast -- just under two weeks!  So that officially ends the saga of the lost passports.  The new ones have an alert on the opening page that says "This is a replacement for a lost passport." I hope this doesn't trigger any special treatment going through Customs and Immigration.  We'll see.  Otherwise, we're good to go and our trip to exotic Canada is on track for July.

Speaking of travel, we have begun to do some serious planning for our November return to SE Asia.  I've contacted a company that does custom tours of Cambodia and we'll be going back and forth to see what they can put together for us.  

The last of our big events this week was yesterday, when the crew returned to put our new solar pool

So Close!!!

panels on the roof. It took a few hours and rain kept threatening to interrupt the job, but they got it done.  Unfortunately, when they tested he system by running water through it they discovered one of the fittings from the old installation was leaking.  They think they can fix it, but it will require returning with a special tool for removing the old fitting, which  they didn't have with them.  So, we have new valves, new panels, and NO hot water.  The return visit will of course have to be rescheduled, and we haven't heard when that will be yet.  Our warmer weather (particularly at night) has kept the pool temperature at an acceptable level,  so we really don't need much solar heating at the moment. Still, it would be nice to get this project done -- we agreed to the terms last March.

I paid an earlier-than-scheduled visit to my optometrist on Wednesday because my current prescription just isn't helping the way I think it should, especially for far distance and for close up work.  He tweaked the prescription and I  have a new pair of cheap-o's on the way.  I sure hope they help.. I will be seeing my retina doctor on Tuesday and will likely have another injection in the left eye.  Both my retina doc and the optometrist are still optimistic but my subjective experience doesn't match.  If I do get back near my previous level I'll never take it for granted again!

Ok, that's enough for now.  Off for our usual Saturday morning jaunt to market and the beach.  Take care, and keep in mind that assertions about reality require evidence, not just opinion. 

First Car Wash, Retirement Anniversary, Ride-Along Golf

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

6/1/24

 

Aloha Everyone -- 

Wow, June already! Our Memorial Day weekend was pretty quiet. I celebrated by giving my new car its first wash -- definitely a bonding experience,  I also took the extra step of applying a coat of "ceramic paint sealant," aka polish.  This is the latest and greatest type of finish protection, even for new cars -- at least that's the claim,  The particular product I used was lightweight compared to some, and it went on super-easy, with very little buffing required. Even though the new paint has something called "clear coat" on it, this ceramic coating is supposed to give the finish added protection.  We'll see. Of course, it only took a few days before I had to drive in the rain coming home from Makalei on Wednesday. The next washing won't won't be as much fun as the first, of course......

Speaking of Makalei, on Wednesday I went with Karen and mostly acted as her caddy and cart driver. I

Kind of Sad

decided I'm getting too serious about the game, so I'm backing off a bit.  I did play the last two holes -- ones we usually skip -- and did pretty good until I got into some tall grass and tried unsuccessfully to bush-whack my way out,  With all the rain lately the mowing crew is having a tough time keeping up. If our usual golf partner was available I wouldn't have gone along, but she and her husband both are recovering from Covid, which is definitely on the uptick here. We saw all three of the white peacocks, including one female with her baby -- not white, by the way.  The normal males are still displaying but are looking pretty bad. They don't seem to realize it, though -- sort of like the guys we see here at the beach with pot belly's strutting around in their Speedo's).  Anyway, Karen finished all 18 holes (!) and played consistently very, very well. 

Yesterday was a significant anniversary for us -- the last day of our contracts before retiring.  That was 24 years ago -- hard to believe! We didn't do anything special, other than joining some friends for Happy Hour at a beach side park. Each year we also celebrate the anniversary of our first day of retirement, which of course is today.  Neither of us has regrets, and we both agree that retiring while we were still young enough to enjoy it was the right thing to do.  We've been able to have enriching, rewarding, and enjoyable experiences that are getting increasingly difficult to come by, given that the world, especially our own country, appears to be coming apart at the seams.

Ok. Market and breakfast picnic.  Take care and stay the course.

Resolution Week, Roof Readiness, Buckling Up

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

5/25/24

 

Aloha Family -- 

 

This week's mainland weather headlines brought back memories of living in Ohio (aka "Tornado Alley."  Every spring we had some severe weather in the form of tornadoes, violent thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, etc.  Some scary stuff, and it seems like it has gotten much worse in the last 25 years, predicted to continue that trend.  The weather here has also changed but we just don't have the same mechanisms to create conditions that are as extreme as on the mainland.  As we locals say, "Lucky we live Hawai'i."

Several outstanding issues were finally resolved this week.  First, on Monday Karen received her permanent Driver's License, so we were able to complete her passport application and turn it in on Tuesday at the post office.  Also on Monday I got my new passport!  It took only about 21/2 weeks, which hopefully means Karen will get hers fairly quickly also --- that will end the saga of replacing the lost passports! Needless to say we were relieved to get her application in the works and for mine to come so fast.

 

On Tuesday I received a package with several accessory parts for my new car.  The reason this was a big deal was because I had ordered them nearly a month ago!  Clearly the shipping got messed up somehow, and the tracking information wasn't being updated.  I had gone back and forth with the company's customer service deparment, who at one point tried to argue that the shipping was taking a long time because it was international!  I pointed out that Hawai'i is, in fact, a state of the U.S. and that usually shipping here is delayed only a day or two (assuming the vendor does indeed ship to Hawai'i and Alaska, which quite a few don't). Anyway, they finally agreed to refund my money and were preparing to do that when suddenly the tracking info updated to indicate the package would be delivered the next day!  The parts are now on the car -- molding strips on the doors to protect from other car doors, door edge guards, and a protective mat on the bumper to guard against scratches when loading and unloading cargo. Earlier I installed splash guards on the front and rear wheel wells to keep the car cleaner.  I could have had the dealer install all of these things, but (a) it would have cost about twice as much and (b) I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of doing it myself.

 

Way Mo' Betta!

On Saturday the roofer we contacted showed up and did a good job replacing our worn-out shingles.  He was able to use shingles that were left over when the house was re-roofed, so they matched perfectly.  Of course, they will eventually be hidden by the new solar panels, so it doesn't make much difference. So we're now back in the queue for the panels to be installed, something new to await resolution. Nothing's quick and simple, is it?

 

As frequent air travelers we attended closely to the news this week about the Singapore Airlines flight that ran into "clear air turbulence," resulting in injuries to about 40% of the passengers, some quite serious.  One death was attributed to a heart attack, a 70-womething man and his wife of 50 years on their way to Australia and SE Asia for a special 6-week tour.  Sounds way too similar to Karen and me. Nearly all of those injured didn't have their seat belts fastened and were thrown to the ceiling and then slammed down again.  Pictures from inside the plane showed a real mess of oxygen masks, hand luggage, food items, etc.  We're usually pretty good about keeping our belts fastened -- we'll be extra careful from now on.  I've heard of this kind of unexpected turbulence but this incident seemed particularly bad.  The lesson here is pretty clear -- buckle up and pee fast.

That's it for now.  Off to market and our usual beach breakfast picnic.  Take care and stay as safe as you can.

Death of a Sandwich, 2 More Docs, Roof Repair

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

5/18/24

 

Aloha Guys -- 

The big weather disturbance that came through last weekend dumped a lot of rain on the other islands, and on the northern and eastern part of ours, but we got very little here in our specific area.  As you recall, we were thinking of cancelling plans for any fancy dinner for Karen's birthday, but we wound up going north anyway, and had a terrific meal at the Fairmont Orchid beach-side restaurant.  The weather turned very pleasant, and we were treated to a beautiful sunset as we ate. The meal itself was one of the best we've had here -- lobster curry bisque, poached pear salad with caramelized Macadamia nuts, and a 5-spice duck breast with sweet potato mash and peppered pineapple.  Karen's complementary desert was a chocolate flourless cake with caramel mousse, chocolate streusel and cacao ganache. Each course was creative, complex, and beautifully presented.  Do I sound like we enjoyed it?  Foodies that we are, it was an appropriate birthday present for Karen and I;m glad I got to share it.

 

Continuing the food-oriented theme, the sad news this week was that one of our favorite restaurants is closing -- the family-run Vietnamese restaurant that has been a beloved community fixture for many years.  Among other tasty items on their menu was the sandwich we love -- Lemon Grass Chicken on a French roll.  When we heard that the restaurant was closing at the end of this week we knew we had to have one more, which we did on Wednesday.  We weren't the only locals that wanted to show their appreciation for the owners by visiting one more time -- the place was jam-packed,  We will miss the food, of course, but also the inspiring hard work and integrity of the family.

On Tuesday I had another double-doctor day.  Up first was the ultra-sound examination of my aorta. I received the results on Thursday, which is surprisingly quickly for around here.  My aorta passed the exam with flying colors: "The abdominal aorta is normal in caliber with mild atherosclerotic changes." At this stage I'll take mildly negative as A+.  The second doctor visit was to my eye specialist for another shot in my left eye. It continues to look good to him, but my vision is still pretty crappy compared to what it was before the latest occlusion. I'm trying to be patient, but it is hard not to be discouraged at times.

On Monday the workers showed up right on time to replace our pool solar system.  Everything went well

Old Panel Damage

until removing the old panels revealed several spots where they had rubbed nearly completely through the shingles,  These spots could have been slathered with sealant before putting on the new panels (designed, by the way, not to cause this kind of damage), but it is much better to replace them first.  We've contacted a roofer who will hopefully be able to do this sometime today.  We've rescheduled for the new panels to be installed, but of course we lost our place in line and ut might be late June before we get this done unless an opening occurs earlier.  Seems like we've been doing a lot of waiting lately -- maybe my geezerhood impatience is getting the better of me. Anyway, the replacement of the valves and pvc was completed and the installers did an excellent job of not only just replacing the old system but making the whole setup much, much better.

We played 15 holes of golf on Thursday, and it went pretty well for all three of us.  The peacocks are starting to look a bit bedraggled since it is at the end of the breeding season.  Soon the course will be littered with their magnificent tail feathers.  We haven't seen any of this year's babies yet, but they should begin appearing in a week or so.

 

Ok, that's about it. , No farmer's market or breakfast picnic today because we're waiting for the roofer.   Stay safe, stay healthy, and don't let the crazies get to you.

Big Birthday, Lost Passports, Rumbling Volcano

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

5/11/24

 

Aloha All -- 

 

Well, today is Karen's xxth (censored) birthday-- but she's keeping it low-key. She had lunch with a couple of friends yesterday at  the Four Seasons resort up north, and tonight we might have dinner somewhere up north.  However, the weather has turned so yucky that we may put that on hold. A rather big rain system is moving across the state this weekend and part of the positive experience of eating out here in Hawai'i is that you eat truly out -- outside, that is.  But not when it's raining. She was adamant that I not get her a gift, but I couldn't let that happen and got her something simple to wear -- a risky thing to do, but she seems ok with it.  Although the event is low key now she's chosen to return later in the year to southeast Asia  (Thailand and Cambodia) as her way of  celebrating the occasion.  This will be in November. and we've begun planning the trip.  

Karen's driver's license expired this year and the renewal process led to the discovery that our passports are missing.  She wanted to use her passport as proof of ID and citizenship, but couldn't find it in the usual place where we keep them.  We had them when we re-entered the US on our return  from Africa in February.  We landed in San Francisco and spent the night before flying home.  We're sure we put them away and used our driver's licenses when we checked in for our Kona flight the next morning, but now we

Yeah, Those

can't find them anywhere in the house.  We spent a few days looking in every drawer, crack, piece of luggage, clothing, etc. --- everywhere and anywhere they could conceivably (and inconceivably) be -- before concluding that we had to replace them,  This is very puzzling and frustrating because we are usually very, very careful with them and have a set routine when we use them to travel.  Anyway we have bitten the bullet and started the process of getting new ones. This turns out to require filling out a form reporting them missing, which immediately and permanently invalidates them, and then applying for brand-new ones, a process that requires documentation of citizenship and identity in the form of birth certificates, driver's licenses, and an in-person visit to a designated passport acceptance center -- in our case one of our local post offices.  We made an appointment and on Tuesday had our interview, only to find out that our photos weren't acceptable because we had smiled, and I had printed out the online form doubled-sided while the original is on separate pages (!). We made another appointment for the next day, hustled to the passport photo department in Walmart for new photos, and reprinted the applications.  Back again the next day and mine passed inspection, but Karen's didn't because her driver's license is only a temporary one until she gets her permanent card.  Sooooooo, we will hope we can get her application in soon --- our deadline is in July, when we leave for Canada.  It should work out, but I hate the uncertainty. 

My final bit of news is that Kilauea is rumbling again.  For about a week starting April 27th the volcanologists detected magma rising and recharging the summit and an area called the Upper East Rift Zone. Then it seemed to quiet down for a few days, but as of yesterday it is rumbling again.  The two main indicators of unrest are small earthquakes (hundreds of them) and ground inflation of the areas where magma is intruding.  Here's part of the volcanologist assessment from yesterday: "Magma continues to pressurize the system...,activating seismicity along faults in the upper East Rift Zone. At this time, it is not possible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or eruption in the near future or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth. Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption."  In other words, maybe, maybe not.  However, it is certain that Kilauea will erupt again -- it is a very active volcano and the quiet, vog-free period we've been enjoying is the exception to a fiery past.

 

That's it for this week other than to mention that I'm continuing to enjoy our new car, we got our new license plates,  I played a so-so round of golf on Wednesday, and I received my eyeglasses Thursday.  They definitely help, but aren't quite as helpful as I had hoped.  I'll get another injection next week.  Also coming up will be the installation of our replacement pool solar system and an ultra-sound examination of my aorta  Exciting times!

 

Hope your weather hasn't been as extreme as some people have been experiencing.  Enjoy whatever good weather you get,   Take care, stay sane and remember that there really is a middle ground  -- try not to lose sight of it.....

Car Bonding, 3 Doc Visits, Wheeling & Dealing

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

5/4/24

 

Aloha Everybody -- 

Busy week!!

I spent a fair amount of time "bonding" with my new Subaru.  Loving it so far.  We took a short road trip up north last Sunday, to a Lei Day celebration at the Waikaloa Resort shopping center -- some hula, Hawaiian singing groups, and lunch at a beach-side restaurant, plus a short walk along the shore,  The drive up was on a straight coastal highway, giving me a chance to try out one of the car's nifty features -- adaptive cruise control.  This is like the old style cruise control but it automatically maintains a set distance from the car in front.  It also has a lane-centering option which means that if both are engaged at the same time it is practically self- driving.  No napping, however, because the car has a fit if you take your hands off the wheel or stop looking ahead.  I'm slowly working my way through the gazillion other features and settings.  This car has more computing power than the mainframe IBM at my graduate school university! It is very comfortable and quiet, and even has dual a.c. settings so my wife and I don't have to agree on how cool the air is blowing at us.  Although I'm not super-thrilled with the color, it's ok -- Subaru calls it "Brilliant Bronze,"  which I've changed to "Metallic Poop," depending on the scatological sensitivities of the person I'm describing it to.

This was also a busy medical week with a visit to three (!) doctors in two days.  Over the weekend it seemed to me that my eye that had the recent vein occlusion  (left) was actually getting worse, not better. I got an appointment for the very next day.  Despite my subjective assessment, the exam showed that everything is progressing ok.  My acuity actually improved in both eyes compared to two weeks ago, though only by a smidge.  The scan showed no negative changes.  My doctor reminded  me that the gunk would clear out very slowly and that some of my acuity and brightness issues might be helped by a temporary pair of prescription lenses.  I saw an Optometrist the next day and wow, what an improvement when he adjusted the dials just right..  It turns out that my left eye has developed a slight astigmatism that is adding to the blurriness at all distances.  I've got a pair of cheap glasses ordered that should help a lot.  The Optometrist concurred that my left eye will eventually be correctable to 20/20 or close -- definitely good news.

On the same day as my emergency eye exam, I saw my internist for my routine 6-month checkup.  All is as good as can be expected, given the progression of my emphysema, but he did order an ultra-sound of my chest to check out some aortic calcification that showed up on my last CT.  My cholesterol numbers are very good, so this is just to check out if the calcification has progressed and exactly how bad it might be.  Oh what fun!

The final source of busyness this week was selling our old CRV,  I posted an ad on FB Marketplace and within hours got many inquiries.  I set up appointments for a few people to see the car, but before they

Yippee!

took place my pool guy offered to buy it and gave me a deposit,  Unfortunately he couldn't come up with the rest of the cash and we agreed to cancel the deal the next day.  Within two hours of indicating on Marketplace that it was available again I sold it to a guy for full price who gave me a hefty cash deposit of $2k, with the rest to come on Friday, the next day. With that much at stake for him,  it seemed like a done deal  -- I had $2k and still had the car, so there was no risk for me. Yup, as agreed we met yesterday evening after he got off work and he gave me the rest of the price in cash.  I'll deposit it this morning on our Saturday rounds.  Although this process was intense, it only took 4 days.  Also, the paperwork that I had initially found a daunting prospect turned out to be minor, thanks to online advice and tips from a neighbor who sold a car last year.  All in all, I have to conclude that the dealer who low balled me actually did me a very lucrative favor.  Anyway, it's all over and I hope not to have to do it again for a long time. My career in used car sales has come to an end!

 

Ok, I sure hope next week is a bit calmer.  There are a couple of sagas involving lost or stolen passports and a rumbling volcano that I haven't regaled you with yet.  I'll hold off until next missive.

Take care.  Enjoy your spring!

Escape From Mordor, Career In Used Car Sales ?

Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

4/27/24

 

Aloha Folks -- 

Well, I did it!  On Monday I bought a new Subaru Outback.  But it wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't pleasant, and I really hope to not go through this again.  As you recall, last week I was trying to decide between the Outback and a Honda CRV.  On Saturday I went back to the Honda dealer to take another drive in the CRV., and if it felt good I was going to buy a blue model that I had looked at before. Turns out Saturdays are NOT a good day for car shopping because people who work use that day to look at cars.  The place was jammed, and even though I had texted my salesperson in advance, he was with other customers.  He was willing to get somebody to go with me for another test drive, but he informed me the blue car was already sold to a buyer over in Hilo, and it was on its way to the dealer there.  That meant there wasn't another one in that color on the island, and I'd have to wait weeks before another one was available.  Other colors just didn't interest me, so I left, somewhat disgusted that my shopping efforts had led to nothing.  On the way home, though, I thought I might stop one more time at the Subaru dealer and take another drive in the Outback, as well as see what colors were available.

Just like the Honda dealer, the Subaru place was busy, and a substitute salesperson went with me for a drive.  I was very impressed with the car again, and it turned out there was a bronze color that was kind of interesting.  I decided that if the price was right I'd make a commitment right then and there,  Unfortunately my original guy was still in the middle of concluding a sale and wasn't available for negotiations.  I left word I'd be back Monday and that I was very interested. On Monday he was *again* with another customer, so I negotiated with a substitute.  Very quickly we came to agreement on the

She's a Beauty, Eh?

bottom line and I agreed to the deal.  However, I said I was curious what the trade-in value of my old car might be, a reasonable straight-forward question that I thought might lead to a quick answer after an inspection of my car,  WRONG.  For the nexr two hours it was like I was swimming in molasses. First, I provided a lot of specific information about the car and the sales rep did a Car Fax assessment,  Then he and a mechanic took it for a drive.  So far this was a reasonable process that didn't take very long.  Then the Manager got involved and the three of them talked among themselves for at least 20 minutes, then they disappeared.  Finally the salesperson returned with a low-ball, almost insulting offer that I immediately refused,  He countered a smidge, then I countered with the addition of some accessories to the deal.  The sales guy disappeared for another 15 minutes to confer with the Manager and returned with another low-ball offer.  It was becoming clear that the "good deal" I had gotten for the original bottom line was being intentionally erased by the trade-in offer.  I decided to sell the car myself rather than be taken advantage of like that.  've done some research on selling a car here in Hawai'i and in a day or two I'll advertise it online.  Never thought I'd be a used car salesman at this stage of my life!  I'll let you know how it goes.

We picked up the new car yesterday, but there were some hiccups even in doing that -- including an extra trip to the dealer in the morning for them to verify the final check, adding the car to our current insurance at the last minute, and giving us the wrong key. These were things that could have and should have been avoided if the dealer was more organized,  GRRRR. 

Quickly, in other news:  blood test results looked very good, Wednesday's golf game was pleasantly almost competent, and my dental exam on Thursday was "excellent," in the words of my dentist.  These were pleasant counterbalances to my adventures in Mordor.

Ok, off to market and the beach.  Take care and stay calm.